Electrotherapy device with synchronized pulses and sounds



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IN V EN TOR,

United States Patent 3 490 458 ELECTROTHERAPY DE ICE WITH SYNCHRO- NIZEDPULSES AND SOUNDS Donald K. Allison, 3110 Edith Blvd. NE., Albuquerque,N. Mex. 87107 Filed Jan. 14, 1964, Ser. No. 337,554 Int. Cl. H05c 1/04US. Cl. 128-421 8 Claims This invention relates to the electronic art,and more especially to the art of electrotherapeutic devices for thestimulation of muscles and tissue. This invention describes a devicewhich combines effective electrotherapeutic stimulatory treatments, withesthetic .and psychotherapeutic modalities, and which also may combineinstructional material with the above modalities.

The electronic art is replete with electrical devices which inducecontraction of selected muscles by application of rhythmically modulatedelectrical stimuli to the body surface, in proximity to the endings ofthe motor nerves which control these selected muscles. However, in thecase of the majority of these devices, the waveform and frequency of thealternating current applied to the subject under treatment are such asto cause considerable burning or stinging discomfort to the patient, dueat least partially to the fact that considerable current flows throughthe subjects body during the peaks of oscillation of the alternatingcurrent. Also, it has been found that the period of treatment requiredto effect the desired stimulated exercise is extremelytedious to thesubject undergoing treatment, and in,many cases it has been found to bevirtually impossible to get the subject to con tinue the required courseof treatments. Attempts have been made to overcome this tedium bycombining a source of music, such as a radio, or record player, in thecabinet housing the treatment device, and although this approach mayminimize the aggravation of the enforced treatment to some extent, itsuffers from the defect that the rhythm or beat of the music from theradio or record player bears no relationship to the rhythmic modulationof the exercise stimuli, and this, too, can become annoying to thesubject. It is therefore a primary object of my invention to provideatherapeutic exercise device which combines synchronized physical andesthetic stimuli.

Another object of my invention is to provide a musclestimulatingpulsed-voltage, minimal current modality which is of the correctwaveform and frequency to induce maximal muscular contractive responseand minimal sensatory discomfort.

Still another object of this invention is to provide anelectrotherapeutic exercise device which includes a series ofsynchronized programs of entertainment and exercise, to encourage thesubject to complete each treatment session, and to continue thetreatment sessions until the required number of sessions has beencompleted.

An additional object of my invention is to provide a device which can beused as an accessory or adjunct to a radio, record player, tape player,or television set, and which can employ the musical score emanating fromsuch an entertainment device to provide the rhythmic modulation for themuscle-stimulatory modality generated by the device.

A still further object of my invention is to provide anelectrotherapeutic stimulatory device which furnishes exercise programs,of which the duration, intensity, or tempo, can be varied or graduated,either during the course of a program, or in sequential programs.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparentfrom consideration of the specifications and drawings, in which: I

FIGURE 1A depicts a typical waveform of the unmodulated electricalstimuli used in a preferred form of my invention;

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FIGURE 1B shows a typical envelope of the modulated stimuli as appliedto the subject, in the practice of a preferred form of my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a block diagram showing the interconnections between theelementsof a preferred form of this invention;

FIGURE 3 is a block diagram of an alternative form of my invention;

FIGURE 4 is a circuit diagram of the modulator element of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a partially cut away elevational view showing the positionalrelationship of the magnetic tape to the playback head in FIGURE 2.

Referring now to FIGURE 1A, we see depicted here an oscilloscopicpresentation of the unmodulated voltage waveform of the electricalsignal employed for muscle stimulus in a preferred form of my invention.As will be seen in the figure, the waveform consists of a series of verysharp pulses, which exhibit short times of rise and fall of the voltagecomponent. I have found that recurrence rates of 500 to 1500 pulses persecond induces good contraction of the musculature to which these pulsesare applied through motor nerve termini, and the effect is optimum formost subjects at approximately 1000 pulses per second. When the appliedpulses have short times of rise and fall, as depicted in FIGURE 1, thecurrent flowing through the body of the patient is minimal. I have foundthat it is the current flow that causes subjective discomfort in theform of stinging or burning sensation, and from determinations made on anumber of subjects I have learned that a pulse base-Width ofapproximately 50 microseconds is optimum. The voltage amplitude neededto induce the required muscle contraction varies with the subject, withthe contact of the electrodes whereby the stimuli are conducted to thesubject, and with the distance between the electrodes on the body of thesubject. The requisite stimulatory peak voltage therefore may varybetween 20 and 60 volts, and the value of 50 volts shown in FIGURE 1A ispresented as an exemplary value.

FIGURE 1B shows a typical envelope of the modulated series of pulses aswould be applied to a subject undergoing treatment. The modulation fromminimum pulse amplitude to maximum amplitude is substantiallysinusoidal, or at least gradual, to avoid the annoylng sensation ofsharp on-off modulation of the applied stimuli.

The above values and limits for waveform, frequency, voltage, andmodulation are set forth as exemplary values for optimum results.Stimulatory electrical impulses having values falling outside of theseoptimum regions can be employed, though with somewhat degraded efficacy,for the practice of my invention.

In FIGURE 2, a tape transport deck 1 provides substantially constantspeed transport of a magnetic tape 2 from a reel 3 to a reel 4, passingover a 2-track playback head 5. The output from one track ofthe playbackhead is amplified in an audio amplifier 6, and then made audible by aspeaker 7. The output from the other track of the playback head 5 isamplified in an amplifier 8, which is provided with an amplitude control18. The output of the amplifier 8 is conducted to contact elements 9 and10, which are placed in contact with the selected motor nerve terminalregions of the body of the subject.

FIGURE 3 illustrates an alternative form of my invention in which amusical source 11 provides entertainment music through a speaker 12. Themusical source 11 may be a radio, record player, tape player, televisionreceiver, or any source which provides musical or rhythmic audioentertainment. A portion of the musical audio output is conducted to amodulator 14 either directly by electrical connection through a switch32 or by sound link through a microphone-preamplifier 31, and thencethrough the switch 32 to the modulator 14. The modulator 14 is providedwith an amplitude control potentiometer 15. An oscillator 13 is a sourceof oscillatory electrical energy having the general waveformcharacteristics depicted in FIGURE 1A, and this energy is conducted tothe modulator 14, wherein it is amplitude modulated by the amplitudepeaks of the musical tempo, or beat. The oscillator 13 can be. any ofseveral types of audio oscillator capable of delivering the desiredapproximately IOOO-cycle signal having the required waveform andvoltage, or alternatively, the oscillator 13 may utilize a tap playback,or a vibratory pulse generator to provide the required form andfrequency of pulses. The output of the oscillator 13 can bepositive-going pulses as shown in FIGURE 1, or the output can providenegative-going pulses, without detracting from the efficacy of thedevice.

FIGURE 4 presents one of several possible circuits for the amplitudemodulation of the stimulatory pulses in synchronism with the tempo ofthe music from the musical source 11 of FIGURE 3. In FIGURE 4, themusical input from the source 11 is connected to terminals 19 and 20.From the terminal 20, the. pulse energy passes through a capacitor 21 tothe slidable contact of a potentiometer 15. The high-potential side ofthe potentiometer 15 connects directly to the base of a transistor 25,and through a resistor 23 to the collector of the same transistor. Theemitter of transistor 25 is connected through a resistor 24 to thecommon ground bus, which is also connected to the ground side of thepotentiometer 15, and to the music input terminal 19. The collector oftransistor 25 connects to one of the primary terminals of a transformer26, and the other terminal of transformer 26 is connected to themodality output terminal 17 and to a pulse input terminal 30. The otherpulse input terminal 29 is connected to common ground, and to theemitter of a transistor 27. The collector of transistor 27 is connectedto the modality output terminal 16, and the base of the transistor 27connects to one terminal of the secondary of the transformer 26, ofwhich the other secondary terminal connects to the common ground.

FIGURE shows an enlarged, partially cut away, elevational viewillustrating the cooperative relationship of the magnetic tape 2 and theplayback head 5 of FIGURE 2. The magnetic tape. 2 carries theamplitude-modulated stimulatory pulses, having the waveform and envelopeconfiguration substantially as depicted in FIGURE 1B, recorded on alongitudinal track area 2a. Tape 2 also carries recorded music on atrack area 2b. The playback head 5 includes two magnetic transducerpickups, 5a and 5b. Linear translatory motion of the magneticallyrecorded tracks 2a and 217 on the tape 2, across the face of theplayback head 5 causes an electrical voltage having substantially thewaveform shown in FIGURE 1B to appear across the terminals of pickup 5a,and simultaneously, a waveform representative of the recorded music oftrack 2b appears across the terminals of pickup 5b.

The tracks 2a and 2b have been pre-recorded in such a manner that thepeaks of maximum voltage and amplitude of the envelope of track 2asubstantially coincide with the amplitude peaks of the tempo, or beat,of the music recorded on track 2b. This can be accomplished during thepre-recording by manual control of the amplitude of the stimulatorypulses in time with the tempo of the music, or it likewise can beperformed automatically during the pre-recording of the tape through theuse of a modulator element similar to the modulator 14 of FIG- URE 3, ofwhich the operation will be described hereinafter. Consequently, as thetape 2 is transported longitudinally across the playback head 5, twosynchronized signals appear as the outputs of the tape playback head, ashereinbefore stated. The output of the pickup 5b is amplified in theaudio amplifier 6, which can be any of the many suitable audioamplifiers so well-known in the art as not to require description here.The output of the modulated pulse track, sensed by pickup 5a, isamplified in an audio-frequency amplifier 8, which again is ofconventional type, and of which the principal requirements are a maximumvoltage output of 60 volts, peak, and a sufficiently high frequencyresponse that the sharp stimulatory-pulses depicted in FIGURES 1A and 1Bare not seriously rounded or degraded during the amplification process.The amplifier 8 is provided with the amplitude control 18, which servesto regulate the amplitude of the output voltage to that optimum value atwhich maximum muscular response and minimum discomfort are experiencedby the subject under treatment. The output of the amplifier 8 isconnected to the conductive electrodes 9 and 10, which serve to conductthe stimulatory pulses to selected areas of the subjects body.

The rhythmic contractions induced in the selected muscles of thesubjects body have been found to be therapeutically beneficial, both forweight reduction through the electrically paced program of exercise, andadditionally for the toning and nourishment of selected body areasthrough the increase of blood circulation to these areas. The durationof each exercise session is adjusted to fit the duration of the musicalscore which accompanies the exercise stimulating signal track on thetape, and the esthetic appeal of the musical score to the subjectinsures that each treatment session will be continued to the end. Themusical score can be accompanied with verbal instructions as to properplacement of the conductive electrodes on the subjects body, or, asadded incentive for continuation of the treatment session, the musicalscore can serve as background for a narrative calculated to entertainand hold the attention of the subject. It is obvious that the tempo andintensity of treatments can be increased by recording the correspondingstimulatory and audio material on the magnetic tape, thereby enhancingthe effectiveness of the therapy, and the esthetic benefits to thesubject.

Referring now to FIGURES 3 and 4, the operation of this form of myinvention is as follows: A portion of the audio signal from the radioreceiver 11, in passing to the radio speaker 12, is by-passed throughthe switch 32 to the modulator 14. The output signal from the oscillator13, which has substantially the waveform shown in FIG- URE 1A, also isdelivered to the modulator 14. Transistor 27 is biased off under theno-signal condition at terminals 19 and 20. When a signal, in this casemusic from the radio receiver 11, is applied to the terminals 19 and 20,it is amplified by the transistor 25 and applied through the transformer26 to the base of the transistor 27. Proper adjustment of thesensitivity control potentiometer 15 will so regulate the amplitude ofthe pulse output from the terminals 16 and 17 that the modulatedenvelope will be quite similar to that shown in FIGURE 1B. The amplitudeof the maximum voltage delivered to the conductive electrodes 17 and 18reaches the value required to maximize muscle response, and to minimizediscomfort. When this form of my invention is operated in ac cordancewith the foregoing description, the subject ex periences exhilaratingexercise of muscular contractions, in time with the beat of the music,emanating from the speaker 12.

Various other forms of my invention will be readily apparent to personsskilled in the art. For example, the modulator 14 of FIGURE 3 need notbe electrically connected to the speaker output terminals of the radio11, but can obtain its modulatory synchronizing signal from themicrophone-preamplifier combination 31, of which the output can beconnected to the modulator by actuation of the switch 32. The amplitudeof the muscle-stimulatory pulses is then modulated in time with the beatof the music emanating from the speaker 12 in the manner describedabove.

In another obvious form of my invention, the Z-track tape playback head5 can be replaced by a 2-channel stereo disc record player, from whichthe one channel provides the musical accompaniment, and the otherchannel supplies the amplitude-modulated synchronized exercisestimulating pulses.

Having described and shown my invention in several forms, I do not wishto be limited in the scope of the protection afforded to my invention,except as limited by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An electrotherapy device including in combination:

a source of electrical impulses capable of inducing muscular responsewhen applied to a motor nerve of a patient;

a source of audio frequency electrical signals;

means for modulating the amplitude of said electrical impulses by saidaudio frequency signals;

means for transducing said audio frequency signals into sound audible tothe patient; and

means for applying the modulated electrical impulses to selected motornerves of the patient which said sound is being heard by the patient.

2. An electrotherapy device including in combination:

a source of electrical impulses capable of inducing muscular responsewhen applied to a motor nerve of a patient;

a source of audio frequency electrical signals;

means whereby the amplitude of said audio frequency signals modulatesthe amplitude of said electrical impulses;

means for transducing said audio frequency signals into sound audible tothe patient; and

electrode means for applying the modulated electrical impulses toselected points on the patients body while said sound is being heard bythe patient.

3. An electrotherapy device including in combination:

a source of electrical impulses capable of inducing muscular responsewhen applied to a motor nerve of a patient;

a source of musical audio frequency electrical signals;

means for transducing said audio frequency signals into music audible tothe patient;

means for modulating the amplitude of said electrical impulses inaccordance with the amplitude of said musical signals; and

electrode means for applying the modulated electrical impulses to thepatient to stimulate selected motor nerves.

4. An electrotherapy device including in combination:

a source of electrical impulses capable of inducing muscular responsewhen applied to a motor nerve of a patient;

a recorded musical score;

means for transducing said musical score into music audible to thepatient;

means for modulating the amplitude of said electrical impulses by theamplitude of said musical score; and

means for conducting the modulated electrical impulses to the body of apatient to synchronize the effective application of the electricalimpulses with the musical score.

5. An electrotherapy device including in combination:

a source of sharp electrical pulses having a frequency between 500 and1,500 pulses per second;

means for modulating said electrical pulses; a source of modulatingsignals for said modulating means, said modulating signals modulatingsaid electrical pulses from a minimal non-effective voltage to a maximumvoltage of between 20 and 60 volts, said modulating signals furtherproducing a gradual and rhythmic modulation of said electrical pulses toprevent sharp on-otf of the applied pulses; and

means for conducting said modulated electrical pulses to the body of apatient.

6. An electrotherapy device including in combination:

a source of sharp electrical pulses having a frequency between 500 and1,500 pulses per second and having a pulse base of substantially 50microseconds;

means for modulating said electrical pulses;

a source of substantially sinusoidal modulating signals for saidmodulating means, said modulating signals modulating said electricalpulses from a minimal nonelfective voltage to a maximum voltage ofbetween 20 and 60 volts, said modulating signals further effecting asubstantially sinusoidal change in the amplitude of said electricalpulses from a minimum noneffective voltage to a maximum of between 20and 60 volts; and

means for applying said modulated electrical pulses to selective motornerves of a patient.

7. An electrotherapy device including in combination:

a source of sharp electrical pulses having the frequency between 500 and1,500 pulses per second and having a pulse :base of substantially 50microseconds;

means for modulating said electrical pulses from a minimal non-effectivevoltage to a maximum voltage of between 20 and 60 volts;

means providing a source of audio frequency signals;

means transducing said signals into sound audible to the patient;

means feeding said audio frequency signals to said modulating means tomodulate said electrical pulse; and

means for applying the finally modulated electrical pulses to selectivemotor nerves of a patient While said sound is being heard by thepatient.

8. An electrotherapy device including in combination:

a source of sharp electrical pulses having the frequency between 500 and1,500 pulses per second and having a pulse base of substantially 50microseconds;

means modulating said electrical pulses from a minimal non-effectivevoltage to a maximum voltage of between 20 and 60 volts;

means providing a source of audio frequency signals;

means transducing said signals into sound audible to the patient;

means feeding said audio frequency signals to said modulating means tosynchronize the application of electrical stimulus with the sound heard-by the patient; and

wherein said source of audio frequency signals is a musical score andsaid electrical impulse application is synchronized with the rhythm ofthe musical score.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,823,311 2/1958 Bastir.3,056,409 10/1962 Edwards l'28422 2,350,797 6/1944 Morland et al. 128-42XR 2,368,207 l/ 1945 Eaton 128-422 2,670,212 2/1954 Heller et al. 274-11XR 3,118,977 1/1964 Olson. 2,820,453 1/1958 Mayne 12824.5

FOREIGN PATENTS 387,518 2/ 1933 Great Britain.

WILLIAM E. KAMM, Primary Examiner

1. AN ELECTROTHERAPY DEVICE INCLUDING IN COMBINATION: A SOURCE OF ELECTRICAL IMPULSES CAPABLE OF INDUCING MUSCULAR RESPONSE WHEN APPLIED TO A MOTOR NERVE OF A PATIENT; A SOURCE OF AUDIO FREQUENCY ELECTRICAL SIGNALS; MEANS FOR MODULATING THE AMPLITUDE OF SAID ELECTRICAL IMPULSES BY SAID AUDIO FREQUENCY SIGNALS; MEANS FOR TRANSDUCING SAID AUDIO FREQUENCY SIGNALS; SOUND AUDIBLE TO THE PATIENT; AND MEANS FOR APPLYING THE MODULATED ELECTRICAL IMPULSES TO SELECTED MOTOR NERVES OF THE PATIENT WHICH SAID SOUND IS BEING HEARD BY THE PATIENT. 